LTC – Acadian Campus gears up for Version 3.0

CROWLEY – The Commercial Vehicle Operation program at Louisiana Technical College-Acadian Campus is gearing up for the latest version of the Commercial Driver’s License testing program. The Acadian Campus in Crowley has been a third party test site for the CDL program since it’s inception in January of 1990. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of Motor Vehicles continually strive to make our highways safer. The goal of the Commercial Driver’s License testing program is to ensure that only safe, qualified drivers obtain a license to operate commercial vehicles on our highways. All drivers applying for a CDL must now pass several knowledge tests and three skills test to be certified to operate a commercial vehicle.

All examiners who wish to continue administering the CDL skills test are required to complete an in depth 24 hour recertification course. The 24 hour course consists of new rules and regulations concerning the scoring of the test and hands on application of the procedures. All potential examiners must also pass a comprehensive knowledge test. According to CDL consultant, Jim Paridon, with the Office of Motor Vehicles, the basic controls or backing test has been redesigned to more closely match the maneuvers a driver would have to encounter on a day to day basis. Clifton Langlois, also a CDL consultant with OMV explains that the vehicle inspection is to help drivers spot unsafe conditions on a vehicle which may cause an accident or breakdown. After drivers pass these two parts of the test they must take the vehicle on a specific course which measures their skills in actual traffic situations. Both Mr. Langlois and Mr. Paridon require each examiner to reach a level of skill where every examiner is spotting the same errors on a road test.

Louisiana Technical College-Acadian Campus has four examiners at their facility, Erick Mire, Calvin Rigsby, Larry Sam, and Nick Treadway. Each examiner has over 20 years experience as a professional truck driver and instructor. The Acadian Campus has operated a Commercial Vehicle Operation program since 1975. The Technical College trains about 100 drivers per year and all are required to pass this national driver certification to graduate from the program. Currently, the driving course is free of charge to applicants and includes the test at the completion of the course. For information on testing or training call 337-788-7526.